Lee Briers
Encyclopedia
Lee Briers is a professional rugby league
player who currently plays for Warrington Wolves
in the Super League
. He previously played for St Helens
, and at international level he won 23 caps for Wales
, many of those as captain. His usual position is .
. His performances helped guide the Saints through to the 1997 Challenge Cup
final, winning the Man Of The Match award in the semi-final defeat of Salford. However, the return of Goulding meant Briers was dropped to the reserves, missing out on an appearance in the final. In addition to being dropped for the final, Briers was not taken to be fitted for a Cup Final suit and was not taken with the squad down to Wembley, much to his - and his team mates' - chagrin. Local rivals Warrington Wolves
stepped in to secure his signature in a £65,000 move.
at The Shay
in 2002).
Lee Briers' Testimonial match
at Warrington
took place in 2007 and he stepped down as captain at the end of the season.
Briers played for Warrington
in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos
, in the latter of which which he won the Lance Todd Trophy
for his performance
The 2011 Super League season was Briers' 14th. During this season he broke a number of club records including top all time points scorer, having overtaken club greats Brian Bevan
and Steve Hesford. He broke the record during a 112-0 demolition of Swinton Lions
. This match also saw Briers break his own club record for points in a match (set 11 years earlier against York), with 44 points, from 16 goals and three tries.
debut in 1998, Briers went on to make 23 appearances for his country and featured in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
. Following the team's failure to qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, Briers announced his international retirement. However he came out of retirement to represent Wales in the 2010 European Cup
, and captained the side to victory in the tournament. He went on to captain Wales in the 2011 Four Nations, before once again retiring from international rugby league at the tournament's end.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player who currently plays for Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. He previously played for St Helens
St Helens RFC
St Helens Rugby League Football Club are a professional rugby league club from St Helens, Merseyside, North West England who play in the Super League. Nicknamed Saints, they were a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union. They have been league champions on 12 occasions and runners up...
, and at international level he won 23 caps for Wales
Wales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
, many of those as captain. His usual position is .
St Helens
Briers signed for hometown club St Helens and broke into their first team as a teenager, standing in for the suspended captain Bobbie GouldingBobbie Goulding
Bobbie Goulding is an English rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the French national team's head coach....
. His performances helped guide the Saints through to the 1997 Challenge Cup
Challenge Cup
The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....
final, winning the Man Of The Match award in the semi-final defeat of Salford. However, the return of Goulding meant Briers was dropped to the reserves, missing out on an appearance in the final. In addition to being dropped for the final, Briers was not taken to be fitted for a Cup Final suit and was not taken with the squad down to Wembley, much to his - and his team mates' - chagrin. Local rivals Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
stepped in to secure his signature in a £65,000 move.
Warrington
Briers made an instant impact at his new club. His presence at scrum half added an attacking edge to the Warrington team and he was nominated for Young Player of The Year in his first season at Wilderspool. He went on to become the primary playmaker of the side, and was named as captain in 2003. During that time Briers became well known for his excellent kicking skills and his ability to successfully convert drop goals. He currently holds the Super League record, and jointly Warrington all-time record (with Paul Bishop), for the most number of drop goals in a game (5 against HalifaxHalifax RLFC
Halifax RLFC is one of the most historic rugby league clubs in the game, formed over a century ago, in 1873 in the Yorkshire town of Halifax. Known as 'Fax', the official club colours are blue and white hoops, blue shorts and blue socks . They share The Shay stadium with football club FC Halifax Town...
at The Shay
The Shay
The Shay is a multi-use sports stadium in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England near Shaw Hill. FC Halifax Town and Halifax both play their home games at the Shay....
in 2002).
Lee Briers' Testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
at Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
took place in 2007 and he stepped down as captain at the end of the season.
Briers played for Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
in the 2010 Challenge Cup Final victory over the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, in the latter of which which he won the Lance Todd Trophy
Lance Todd Trophy
The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...
for his performance
The 2011 Super League season was Briers' 14th. During this season he broke a number of club records including top all time points scorer, having overtaken club greats Brian Bevan
Brian Bevan
Brian Eyrl Bevan was a legendary rugby league winger who scored a world record 796 tries for Warrington RLFC...
and Steve Hesford. He broke the record during a 112-0 demolition of Swinton Lions
Swinton Lions
Swinton Lions is an English professional rugby league club from Swinton, Greater Manchester. The club has won the Championship six times and three Challenge Cups. They currently play in the Championship.-Early years:...
. This match also saw Briers break his own club record for points in a match (set 11 years earlier against York), with 44 points, from 16 goals and three tries.
International Honours
Having made his WalesWales national rugby league team
The Wales national rugby league team represent Wales in international rugby league football matches. Currently the team is seventh in the RLIF World Rankings. The team were run under the auspices of the Rugby Football League, but an independent body, Wales Rugby League, now runs the team from...
debut in 1998, Briers went on to make 23 appearances for his country and featured in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
. Following the team's failure to qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, Briers announced his international retirement. However he came out of retirement to represent Wales in the 2010 European Cup
2010 European Cup
The 2010 European Cup, known as the Alitalia European Cup for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league football tournament. Three of the competing teams participated in the 2009 European Cup, with France also being included in the tournament after competing in the 2009 Four Nations...
, and captained the side to victory in the tournament. He went on to captain Wales in the 2011 Four Nations, before once again retiring from international rugby league at the tournament's end.